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88 the miracles of antichrist.
to accept it. He wished to give it to her, he said,
because it was the best he had ever carved. He felt so
certain that it possessed greater power than his other
images, that he had put it away on the highest
shelf.
He had charged Donna Elisa to sell it only to
some one who had a great sorrow. And now
Donna Micaela must take it.
She hesitated. She thought him almost too
bold.
Gaetano, however, bade her see how well the image
was carved. Did she notice that the archangel’s
wings were ruffled in anger, and that Lucifero
pressed his claw into the iron splint on his leg ? Did
she see how San Michele ran the spear through
Lucifero, and how he scowled and pressed his lips
together.
He wanted to place the little image in her hand,
but she pushed it away gently. She saw very well
that it was beautiful and powerful, she said, but she
knew that it could not help her. She thanked him
for his gift, but she could not take it.
Gaetano then snatched the image away, rolled it
up and put it back in its place.
And not before it was wrapped up and put away
did he speak to her.
But then he asked her why she came to buy wax
candles, if she was not a believer. Did she mean to
say that she did not believe in San Michele ?
Didn’t she know that he was the mightiest among the
angels and that it was he who had vanquished
Lucifero and pitched him down into Etna? Did she
doubt that it was true ? Didn’t she know that dur-
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